This spring when I turned on my AC I had a strong "pond "odor coming from
the vents. In the week the AC has been on the odor has weakened but it is
still there. I went under the house and couldn't find any wet or broken
supply or return lines. I have a package unit that is also my gas furnace.
The unit is located outside.
I am thinking that there is a mold growing on the evaporator coils or lying
in the collection tray that is activated when it got wet. I didn't have the
odor during the winter when the heat was running. I believe if I spray the
evap coil and collection tray with a diluted bleach/water solution it will
cure the problem. I know it will smell like bleach for a while but I can
handle that better than "pond".
I'd like to hear what the group thinks about this plan and if there are any
other ideas out there. Is there something else I could spray on the coils,
like a Lysol product?
Thanks
JD
Chesapeake, VA

"JD" wrote in message
news:fJ_hc.10189$2e6.389@lakeread01...
This spring when I turned on my AC I had a strong "pond "odor coming from
the vents. In the week the AC has been on the odor has weakened but it is
still there. I went under the house and couldn't find any wet or broken
supply or return lines. I have a package unit that is also my gas furnace.
The unit is located outside.
I am thinking that there is a mold growing on the evaporator coils or
lying
in the collection tray that is activated when it got wet. I didn't have
the
odor during the winter when the heat was running. I believe if I spray
the
evap coil and collection tray with a diluted bleach/water solution it will
cure the problem. I know it will smell like bleach for a while but I can
handle that better than "pond".

There are chemicals specifically formulated for the purpose of cleaning
coils. You can find them at Home Depot or Lowe's.

Unless you have clear access to the coil without having to disturb anything,
you'd be better off calling in a professional to do the job. I believe they
use stronger coil cleaning chemicals, and a professional can actually remove
the coil from the unit (if needed) to do a more thorough cleaning job.

Banister Stairwell writes:

There are chemicals specifically formulated for the purpose of cleaning
coils. You can find them at Home Depot or Lowe's.

The only thing "special" about these is a label and premium price.

Just use an ordinary butyl cleaner (409, Fantastik, Zep), which is all
these "special formulas" are.

Kind of like the high-priced "seam cement" for wallpaper, which is just
white (PVA) glue. Or the "special" cleaners sold for pressure washers.

"Richard J Kinch" wrote in message
. ..
Banister Stairwell writes:

There are chemicals specifically formulated for the purpose of cleaning
coils. You can find them at Home Depot or Lowe's.

The only thing "special" about these is a label and premium price.

Just use an ordinary butyl cleaner (409, Fantastik, Zep), which is all
these "special formulas" are.

I'm well aware that similar products get repackaged, labeled and a premium
price tacked on. Anhydrous lanolin is one product that comes to mind.
Musical instrument companies repackage and label it as a lubricant for brass
instrument tuning slides. The per-unit cost then becomes about 50 times the
cost of the basic stuff you can buy in a 1 lb. jar at any pharmacy. Same
stuff...different package..higher price.

However, I didn't believe you were correct regarding coil cleaning
chemicals, so being the curious type, I posed a question regarding the
composition of these chemicals on alt.hvac. According to one response I've
received so far, they are not the same as Fantastik, 409, etc.

Banister Stairwell writes:

According to one response I've
received so far, they are not the same as Fantastik, 409, etc.

Check the MSDS. It will clear up the tradesmen's superstitions. They can
be worse than housemaids when it comes to cleaning products.

"Richard J Kinch" wrote in message
. ..
Banister Stairwell writes:

According to one response I've
received so far, they are not the same as Fantastik, 409, etc.

Check the MSDS. It will clear up the tradesmen's superstitions. They can
be worse than housemaids when it comes to cleaning products.


LOL...yea...and it can prove you wrong as hell....

I have a cleaner that is used on coils, that isnt sold to unlicenced
persons, and will eat right into a coil after about 5 minutes if its used
wrong..used right, it looks like the coils about to catch fire...its steam
of course, but sir, you are dead wrong.

Of course, the untrained are always saying that they are the same....

"Richard J Kinch" wrote in message
. ..
Banister Stairwell writes:

According to one response I've
received so far, they are not the same as Fantastik, 409, etc.

Check the MSDS. It will clear up the tradesmen's superstitions. They can
be worse than housemaids when it comes to cleaning products.

Have a WD-40 cocktail and a smile.

"JD" wrote in message
news:fJ_hc.10189$2e6.389@lakeread01...
This spring when I turned on my AC I had a strong "pond "odor coming from
the vents. In the week the AC has been on the odor has weakened but it is
still there. I went under the house and couldn't find any wet or broken
supply or return lines. I have a package unit that is also my gas furnace.
The unit is located outside.
I am thinking that there is a mold growing on the evaporator coils or
lying
in the collection tray that is activated when it got wet. I didn't have
the
odor during the winter when the heat was running. I believe if I spray
the
evap coil and collection tray with a diluted bleach/water solution it will
cure the problem. I know it will smell like bleach for a while but I can
handle that better than "pond".
I'd like to hear what the group thinks about this plan and if there are
any
other ideas out there. Is there something else I could spray on the
coils,
like a Lysol product?
Thanks
JD
Chesapeake, VA

Your real problem is why there is water sticking around to cause the mold.
The bleach will not hurt the coil once or twice. You need to find out why
the pan is ponding and not draining. A cleaning will help the short run not
the long run

SQlit.....You are right about the pan not draining well. Water flows out
when it reaches a certain level. I put a small level in the pan and it is
slightly tilted away from the drain hole. I tried a couple of things. I
couldn't find a way to raise the pan. I just can't/don't know how to get to
it. I tried to wedge the back corner of the unit up but once again it must
be fastened to the raised deck it is on and no go.
I was thinking of filling the back and side of the pan with sand or small
pebbles to displace the water. I also thought about a small amount of
morter mix or pieces of wood to keep the water near the center and away from
the back edge.
Is this something a pro could fix? Any ideas out there?
JD

"SQLit" wrote in message
news:4C9ic.89256$U83.20740@fed1read03...

"JD" wrote in message
news:fJ_hc.10189$2e6.389@lakeread01...
This spring when I turned on my AC I had a strong "pond "odor coming
from
the vents. In the week the AC has been on the odor has weakened but it
is
still there. I went under the house and couldn't find any wet or broken
supply or return lines. I have a package unit that is also my gas
furnace.
The unit is located outside.
I am thinking that there is a mold growing on the evaporator coils or
lying
in the collection tray that is activated when it got wet. I didn't have
the
odor during the winter when the heat was running. I believe if I spray
the
evap coil and collection tray with a diluted bleach/water solution it
will
cure the problem. I know it will smell like bleach for a while but I
can
handle that better than "pond".
I'd like to hear what the group thinks about this plan and if there are
any
other ideas out there. Is there something else I could spray on the
coils,
like a Lysol product?
Thanks
JD
Chesapeake, VA

Your real problem is why there is water sticking around to cause the mold.
The bleach will not hurt the coil once or twice. You need to find out why
the pan is ponding and not draining. A cleaning will help the short run
not
the long run